Monday, August 15, 2005

They must decide by midnight today about using the NBA's new luxury-tax amnesty provision and waiving Finley. Or they could trade him for useable assets.

Either way, Finley, 32, will be a former Maverick by 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. On the floor, he was a two-time All-Star and a key figure in the Mavericks' rise from the dark days of the 1990s. Off the court, he was a solid citizen who held a charity golf tournament each summer.

I admit it. It bums me out. I hate to see a guy’s run in a city where he played so hard for so long end like this. I guess the Finley critics will rejoice, but I would like to think that he will be considered one of the greatest Mavericks of all-time, and maybe be considered for having his #4 lifted to the rafter someday. This is the right move right now, but I wish it didn’t have to end this way for a guy who was a fine professional.

"If somebody came in here and dismantled the clubhouse, I think it would only make matters worse," outfielder David Dellucci said. "Everybody is doing what they can to win.

"This is our job. This is our life. It's not a hobby. We play hard every day, and it's incredibly frustrating to come in the clubhouse after every game knowing you've done all you can and you've still lost."

“It's OK if they think that, but I just don't want to hear it come out of their mouths," Brocail said. "We know we're not doing the job. We know they are scoring five and six and seven runs a game and still losing.

"But we're pointing the finger at ourselves. We feel like if we'd just allow a run every other inning – what's that, almost five a game? – we'd win."

I visited the new stadium of FC Dallas Saturday night, as they lost to New England 2-1…But the stadium is going to be perfect. I really enjoyed the setting, and just about everything about the place. They still have plenty of construction to complete before it will be totally finished, but it is pretty promising from what I saw Saturday.

Before we go too far on other issues from Cowboys-Cardinals, please allow me a moment to direct you to the blog from last Wednesday, which references other blog entries earlier. Basically, what I am trying to do is explain that despite the fact that I could have written about many other things this summer when it comes to the Cowboys, I have been banging the “RT sucks” drum all along.

After Exhibition Game #1, my reviews of the RT:

Rob Pettiti = D (abused on several occasions on run blocking – they cannot run right with him in the game evidently)Jacob Rogers = F (played 2 plays, looked horrendous on the first. Left game with injury that may or may not exist)Torrin Tucker = F (what a clinic of poor blocking/penalties)

Here is what I wrote last week:

Perhaps this is a good time for me to go on record and suggest that I might be the only media member around here who is not buying all of this “Jacob Rogers for RT” baloney. There are real stories early in training camp, and there are stories from camp that when reviewed a few months later are quite humorous that the media believed it when the mighty Tuna floated it out there. But there is every paper, lapping up the information that Jacob Rogers, a guy who could not get on the field for even 1 offensive down last season, is the best option at Right Tackle. OK, sure, he is a lot stronger, and he is a lot smarter, but c’mon.

Now, Rogers has a right shoulder issue, which matches up with his injury history, and also his toughness questions. But we are to believe that Rogers will be ready to go head to head with Jevon Kearse and Michael Strahan this fall? Right. Not buying it. At this point, I should likely admit that they don’t have very good options, and as I wrote before I think Larry Allen might be the best option . But for now, that is not something they will look at, and we can all ponder whether Rogers, Tucker, or Vollers will be the bad player at RT.

Other things:

How come when the QB is liked by the coach, we get to say that the WR’s can’t get open; but when we don’t like the QB, he is not accurate enough and he is missing open receivers?

Andre Gurode is no better at Center than he was at Guard. If they had any depth, I would cut him and Rogers right now.

Kurt Warner looked like Kurt Warner used to look. Perfect example of what happens when you put a QB in a system that makes sense. Warner with 3 WR’s and quick passes show his strengths and hide his weaknesses. Denny Green may not be good in the playoffs, but strategically, he is a fine coach.

Terrence Newman and Anthony Henry both showed some good things.

DeMarcus Ware did not show much to confirm my high hopes, as he was hard to notice.

Never seen a 3rd and 50 before, but I really enjoyed it.

Tony Romo sure looks awfully confident out there.

I think #68, Pepper Johnson, makes this team.

Tyson Thompson looks pretty fast against 3rd team defenders. I want to see more of that.

Here is where I would normally type a paragraph pounding Drew Bledsoe. I just can’t get too carried away yet. I think it will be difficult to survive a season with the combination of that QB and that Offensive Line. But, it is also early August, so let’s all take a deep breath and see what next week holds.

7 comments:

Anonymous
said...

If the 'Boys have a glaring sesspool at RT, but a fine player at a different position who doesn't quite fit the system (Glover), shouldn't they try to work out a trade?

D-Line depth is one of the things that many teams often complain about. It seems likely that somebody has a good young RT behind a solid starter. If the 'Boys could trade for the solid starter, it'd help both teams.

I didn't note a Parcell's press conference on the BaD website...does that mean we don't have to listen to that crap at 1:30 today?

By the way, there was a T.O. sighting today, he was applying to be the Affirmative Action Director with the Philly chapter of the Rainbow Coalition. His motto is "If I ain't getting paid, then football ain't getting played".

To save us an hour of a$# whipping, here is the transcript of the Hansen show.

1. Offense looks like crap2. Bledsoe looked slow3. RT is gonna get someone hurt4. Vinny will be signed by October5. Cowboy fan's are used to being average6. Defense still can't get pressure on the QB7. I'm God, bow down before me8. The lovely Mrs. Hansen said that I'm a stud

If you listened to me this weekend, which you didn't, you would realize that Finley is trash and we can only trade him for garbage. I referred to Finley as Mavs trash at least 5 times in one segment alone! How can you be so bummed? If Finley was any good, he would have at least started for a playoff team last year.

I am also right about soccer and the world cup is boring and, like the holocaust, a total media fiction. The fans in those stadia (not such a hick after all) are all computer generated.

im so dissapointed in things at the temple. i guess this is how the tampa bays and of the world get along with life. my family has owned season tix since the year before the temple, and i just may cancel them. its very dissapointing that last year at the deadline they couldnt get one sp or bat, when they were getting great bullpen pitching, i mean great bullpen pitching, way above average starting pitching for texas that is, and good offensive production. yet hicks and company thought that this is just one of many many years they will be 1 game out with a week to play, so they did nothing. when you catch lightning you GO FOR IT, PERIOD. no excuse, i dont care if DVD turns into 3 pedros. im sorry but FU*K them for doing this to us.